LETTER XXVIII (circa A.D. 1130)

To the Abbots Assembled at Soissons4545 This was one of the first general Chapters held by the
Black Monks (as they are called) in the province of Rheims. It seems that its
cause and occasion was the Apology addressed by Bernard to Abbot William, who
was the prime mover in calling together this assembly, after the example of the
Cluniacs and Cistercians, that they might re-establish the observance of the
Rule which was being let slip. It was held without doubt at S. Medard under the
Abbot Geoffrey, to whom Letter 66 was addressed. He was Bishop of
Châlons-sur-Marne when Peter the Venerable spoke of him thus (B. ii. Ep. 43):
“It is he who first spread the divine Order of Cluny through the whole of
France, who was its author and propagator; and, far more, it was he who expelled
‘the old dragon’ from his resting-places in so many monasteries, and who roused
monks from their torpor.” Innocent II, determined that these general Chapters
should be held every year in future.

Bernard urges the abbots zealously to
perform the duty for which they had met. He recommends to them a great desire of
spiritual progress, and begs them not to be delayed in their work if lukewarm
and lax persons should perhaps murmur.

To the Reverend Abbots met in the name of the Lord in Chapter
at Soissons, brother Bernard,
118Abbot of Clairvaux, the servant of their Holiness,
health and prayer that they may see, establish, and observe the things which are
right.

1. I greatly regret that my occupations prevent me from being
present at your meeting—at least, in body. For neither distance nor a crowd of
cares are able to banish my spirit, which prays for you, feels with you, and
rests among you. No, I repeat, I cannot be wanting in the assembly of the
saints, nor can distance of place nor absence of body altogether separate me
from the congregation and the counsels of the righteous, in which, not the
traditions of men are obstinately upheld or superstitiously observed; but
diligent and humble inquiry is made what is the good and acceptable and perfect
will of God (Rom. xii. 2).
All my desires carry me where you are; I am with you by devotion, by friendship,
by similarity of sentiment, and partaking of your zeal.

2. That those who now applaud you may not hereafter ridicule
you as having assembled to no purpose (which God forbid!), strive, I beseech
you, to make your conduct holy and your resolutions good, for too good they
cannot be. Grant that you
119may be too just or even too wise, yet it is plain that
you cannot be good beyond measure. And indeed I read: Do not carry justice to
excess (Eccles. vii.
17, Vulg.). I read: Be not wiser than is befitting (Rom. xii. 3,
Vulg.). But is it ever said: Do not carry goodness to excess? or, Take care not
to be too good? No one can be more good than it behoves him to be. Paul was a
good man, and yet he was not at all content with his state; he reached forward
gladly to the things that were before, forgetting those that were behind (Phil. iii.
23), and striving to become continually better than himself. It is only God
who does not desire to become better than He is, because that is not possible.

3. Let those depart both from me and from You who say: We do
not desire to he better than our fathers; declaring themselves to be the sons of
lukewarm and lax persons, whose memory is in execration, since they have eaten
sour grapes, and their children’s teeth are set on edge. Or if they pretend that
their fathers were holy men, whose memory is blessed, let them imitate their
sanctity, and not defend, as laws instituted by them, the indulgences and
dispensations which they have merely endured. Although holy Elias says, I am not better than my fathers
(2
Kings xix. 4), yet he has not said that he did not wish to be. Jacob saw
upon the ladder Angels ascending and descending (Gen. xxviii.
12); but was any one of them either sitting, or standing still? It was not
for angels to stand still on the uncertain rounds of a frail ladder; nor can
anything remain fixed in the same condition during the uncertain period of this
mortal life. Here have we no continuing
120city; nor do we yet possess, but always seek for, that
which is to came. Of necessity you either ascend or descend, and if you try to
stand still you cannot but fall. It may be held as certain that the man is not
good at all who does not wish to be better; and where you begin not to care to
make advance in goodness there also you leave off being good.

4. Let those depart both from me and from you who call good
evil and evil good. If they call the pursuit of righteousness evil, what good
thing will be good in their eyes? The Lord once spoke a single word, and the
Pharisees were scandalized (S. Matt. xv. 12). But now these new
Pharisees are scandalized not even at a word, but at silence. You plainly see
then that they seek only the occasion to attack you. But leave them alone; they
be blind leaders of the blind. Take thought for the salvation of the little
ones, not of the murmurs of the evil-disposed. Why do you so much fear to give
scandal to those who are not to be cured unless you become sick with them? It is
not even desirable to wait to see whether your resolutions are pleasing to all
of you in all respects, otherwise you will determine upon little or no good. You
ought to consult not the views, but the needs of all; and faithfully to draw
them towards God, even although they be unwilling, rather than abandon them to
the desires of their heart. I commend myself to your holy prayers.

45 This was one of the first general Chapters held by the
Black Monks (as they are called) in the province of Rheims. It seems that its
cause and occasion was the Apology addressed by Bernard to Abbot William, who
was the prime mover in calling together this assembly, after the example of the
Cluniacs and Cistercians, that they might re-establish the observance of the
Rule which was being let slip. It was held without doubt at S. Medard under the
Abbot Geoffrey, to whom Letter 66 was addressed. He was Bishop of
Châlons-sur-Marne when Peter the Venerable spoke of him thus (B. ii. Ep. 43):
“It is he who first spread the divine Order of Cluny through the whole of
France, who was its author and propagator; and, far more, it was he who expelled
‘the old dragon’ from his resting-places in so many monasteries, and who roused
monks from their torpor.” Innocent II, determined that these general Chapters
should be held every year in future.